Post by Beatle Bob on Feb 21, 2009 21:44:36 GMT -5
REVIEW: Stars of The Beatles In Sweden (Misterclaudel 1 CD/1 DVD set) mccd-093-094
By Beatle Bob
www.giginjapan.com/scan171/beatles-stars.htm
Another month and it's another release from the Misterclaudel label. Presented here is another issue in their "Live Chronicle Series", this time for the Beatles Swedish tour. This one is a fine release making it convenient and accessible (in one handy package) for having the highly regarded Live At The Karlaplans Studio radio broadcast concert from 10/24/63, and the Drop In TV show from 10/30/63. Both highlights of their career and certainly a peek they'd start to come down from soon after. These performances are two of my favorites.
What I like about the CD is it combines the audio to the radio broadcast, (probably sourced from the hard to find Fabulous Sound Labs CD) and audio from Drop In from the upgraded video source on the DVD. I've only had the complete Drop In show audio on an earlier Vigotone disc and that was from an inferior VHS dupe and doesn't sound nearly as good as this. The only other way I had upgraded tracks was from Anthology and it was only for two of the four songs performed: "Long Tall Sally" and "I Saw Her Standing There". So it's nice now to have all these tracks all from the same upgraded source on this disc. This CD offers the audio to the entire TV show and then a "remastered version" of the Beatles segment only. For this, it sounds like a bit of eq was used to highlight some of the high end and opens it up a bit. It does sound very good and preferable and doesn't present a hiss problem.
The DVD has pluses and minus. First off, the good thing is, it seems like they read my reviews and noticed my complaint about their Bravo Beatles Blitztournee CD/DVD set they issued, where I mentioned it was difficult to enjoy the portions from the newsreels spoken in German, and that they should add subtitles. Well, guess what? This set offers the complete version of the show with English and Japanese subtitles! You can turn these on and off as you view it. The English is spot on and it's not written in a rough and corny translation as I was expecting. The disc starts off with clips of shows that they performed at in the UK as a lead up to arriving in Sweden. I like this concept as it shows the bootlegger is attempting to tell as story. The bad thing is that newsreel footage (from lets say the one same source) is presented here in a few versions,all of varying quality. For instance with the TCR, or without it. You get the picture. It gets tedious. especially viewing the Beatles being interviewed in Sweden with John and George ripping up John's book from 4 different sources. All from the same newsreel camera. All varying quality. I just want and need the one BEST version and that's it. It gets dull and boring unless they're performing. Otherwise it's probably nearly complete, (though I hear it might be missing some newsreel footage), but otherwise puts most of it right here in one set. The Drop In show is presented in many variations also, but the the full show version from the"studio archive" (with TCR) is the best of the full show versions presented, but... the most pristine version is the "remastered version" with no TCR and logos of the Beatles segment. Looks as good as the version I've had from a high end collector for a few years and worth searching out just for this.
Also included is some synced up footage of them performing in Sweden in '64. Short and choppy, but well done.
We are also treated to Misterclaudel trailers and hints of future projects, but none are spelled out. It's just live footage being played. Some big name titles will probably be an Hollywood Bowl and Washington DC '64 project, with many, many, more looking to be on their upcoming release schedule.
The set comes with an insert highlighting their most recent releases and the CDs are picture discs if anyone's interested as well as an OBI strip.
All in all another fine and excellent release from Misterclaudel. One that makes this material handy in one collection.
Regards,
Beatle Bob
By Beatle Bob
www.giginjapan.com/scan171/beatles-stars.htm
Another month and it's another release from the Misterclaudel label. Presented here is another issue in their "Live Chronicle Series", this time for the Beatles Swedish tour. This one is a fine release making it convenient and accessible (in one handy package) for having the highly regarded Live At The Karlaplans Studio radio broadcast concert from 10/24/63, and the Drop In TV show from 10/30/63. Both highlights of their career and certainly a peek they'd start to come down from soon after. These performances are two of my favorites.
What I like about the CD is it combines the audio to the radio broadcast, (probably sourced from the hard to find Fabulous Sound Labs CD) and audio from Drop In from the upgraded video source on the DVD. I've only had the complete Drop In show audio on an earlier Vigotone disc and that was from an inferior VHS dupe and doesn't sound nearly as good as this. The only other way I had upgraded tracks was from Anthology and it was only for two of the four songs performed: "Long Tall Sally" and "I Saw Her Standing There". So it's nice now to have all these tracks all from the same upgraded source on this disc. This CD offers the audio to the entire TV show and then a "remastered version" of the Beatles segment only. For this, it sounds like a bit of eq was used to highlight some of the high end and opens it up a bit. It does sound very good and preferable and doesn't present a hiss problem.
The DVD has pluses and minus. First off, the good thing is, it seems like they read my reviews and noticed my complaint about their Bravo Beatles Blitztournee CD/DVD set they issued, where I mentioned it was difficult to enjoy the portions from the newsreels spoken in German, and that they should add subtitles. Well, guess what? This set offers the complete version of the show with English and Japanese subtitles! You can turn these on and off as you view it. The English is spot on and it's not written in a rough and corny translation as I was expecting. The disc starts off with clips of shows that they performed at in the UK as a lead up to arriving in Sweden. I like this concept as it shows the bootlegger is attempting to tell as story. The bad thing is that newsreel footage (from lets say the one same source) is presented here in a few versions,all of varying quality. For instance with the TCR, or without it. You get the picture. It gets tedious. especially viewing the Beatles being interviewed in Sweden with John and George ripping up John's book from 4 different sources. All from the same newsreel camera. All varying quality. I just want and need the one BEST version and that's it. It gets dull and boring unless they're performing. Otherwise it's probably nearly complete, (though I hear it might be missing some newsreel footage), but otherwise puts most of it right here in one set. The Drop In show is presented in many variations also, but the the full show version from the"studio archive" (with TCR) is the best of the full show versions presented, but... the most pristine version is the "remastered version" with no TCR and logos of the Beatles segment. Looks as good as the version I've had from a high end collector for a few years and worth searching out just for this.
Also included is some synced up footage of them performing in Sweden in '64. Short and choppy, but well done.
We are also treated to Misterclaudel trailers and hints of future projects, but none are spelled out. It's just live footage being played. Some big name titles will probably be an Hollywood Bowl and Washington DC '64 project, with many, many, more looking to be on their upcoming release schedule.
The set comes with an insert highlighting their most recent releases and the CDs are picture discs if anyone's interested as well as an OBI strip.
All in all another fine and excellent release from Misterclaudel. One that makes this material handy in one collection.
Regards,
Beatle Bob
